JenkinsHow-ToBeginner · 4 min read

How to Use sh in Jenkins Pipeline: Simple Guide

In Jenkins Pipeline, use the sh step to run shell commands on the agent machine. Wrap your shell command as a string inside sh, like sh 'echo Hello', to execute it during the pipeline run.

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Syntax

The sh step runs shell commands on the Jenkins agent. It takes a string with the command to execute. You can use single or double quotes around the command.

Basic syntax:

sh 'command' - runs the command as a shell script.
sh(script: 'command', returnStdout: true) - runs the command and returns its output.

groovy

sh 'your-shell-command'

// Example with output capture
def output = sh(script: 'echo Hello', returnStdout: true).trim()

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Example

This example shows a simple Jenkins Pipeline that uses sh to run shell commands. It prints a message and captures the output of a command.

groovy

pipeline {
    agent any
    stages {
        stage('Run Shell') {
            steps {
                sh 'echo Running shell command'
                script {
                    def output = sh(script: 'date', returnStdout: true).trim()
                    echo "Current date is: ${output}"
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Output

Running shell command [Pipeline] echo Current date is: Sat Jun 15 12:34:56 UTC 2024

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Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using sh include:

Not quoting the command string properly, causing syntax errors.
Expecting output without setting returnStdout: true.
Running Windows commands on Linux agents or vice versa.
Not trimming output, which can include unwanted newlines.

Always test commands on the target agent OS.

groovy

/* Wrong: missing quotes around command */
// sh(echo Hello)

/* Right: quotes included */
sh 'echo Hello'

/* Wrong: expecting output without returnStdout */
def output = sh('echo Hello')

/* Right: capture output */
def output = sh(script: 'echo Hello', returnStdout: true).trim()

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Quick Reference

Usage	Description
sh 'command'	Run shell command, no output returned
sh(script: 'command', returnStdout: true)	Run command and capture output
sh(script: 'command', returnStatus: true)	Run command and get exit code
sh label: 'Run script', script: 'command'	Run command with a label for logs

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Key Takeaways

Use sh 'command' to run shell commands in Jenkins Pipeline.

Add returnStdout: true to capture command output as a string.

Always quote your shell commands properly to avoid syntax errors.

Test shell commands on the agent OS to ensure compatibility.

Trim output strings to remove extra newlines when capturing output.